PREFACE. 
T HE completion of the present volume sees the abnormal conditions 
still existent, so that little progress in our science can be reported. 
Nevertheless, some work is still being carried on and one notable 
event has to be chronicled. The re-discovery, by Mr. Tom Carter, of the 
two birds named Malurus textilis and Malurus leucopteru-s by Dumont, almost 
one hundred years ago, must rank as one of the most gratifying occurrences of 
recent years. These species had not been secured since their discovery, and 
as the type or types were lost in shipwreck no specimens existed in any 
collection. Moreover, as the names had been grossly misused, it was important 
that they should either be re-collected or their extinction proved. Mr. Tom 
Carter has succeeded in his search for these missing birds, and has thereby 
earned the thanks of ornithologists, not only Australian, but of all countries. 
Full details of his search will appear elsewhere, but I may note one other 
interesting item Mr. Carter records. On September 10th, 1916, he found 
nestlings of Leptolophus hollandicus, and these were covered with yellow 
down similar to that of the domestic duckling. 
Another expedition of importance was that undertaken by Mr. W. R. 
M c Lennan, on account of Mr. H. L. White, when that energetic field worker 
ranged over the Northern Territory, collecting at much the same locality as 
Gilbert and thus procuring almost absolute topotypes of many of the 
“ species ” described by Gould. He is to be congratulated upon his safe 
return from what appears to have been anything but an easy trip. 
Dr. W. Macgillivray and Mr. W. R. McLennan have recently called on 
me, and from them I learned that the latter had collected on the Watson 
River, North Queensland, a specimen of the true P. chrysopterygius Gould, 
a most important item, as I had suggested it was extinct. 
Nomenclature now has but very little concern, as, since Australian 
ornithologists have generally accepted the usage of trinomials and base their 
conclusions upon absolute priority, there is no matter of dispute between any 
class. As a further prophetic item I will suggest that the next edition of the 
‘ 6 List of British Birds ” sanctioned by the British Ornithologists’ Union will 
also adhere to the principles of absolute priority as well as trinomialism as 
utilised in the same way as in my “ List of the Birds of Australia.” This is 
xi. 
